GDG- Gettysburg battlefield to install 'smart' parking - WTOP Mobile

[Dennis Lawrence]

>Dennis-It wasn't a good spot to go to downtown 
>businesses from when the VC and Cyclo Center 
>were there. Why would that change now?  The 
>report that the ACHS did in the 1970s made it 
>clear that the development of Steinwehr drew 
>business from and even destroyed businesses in 
>the downtown area even before the NPS moved there.


I appreciate the meticulousness of your research; 
however, the downtown merchants vigorously would 
dispute this and fought to not have the VC moved 
because they  said it would destroy 
businesses.  I'm sure they have reports to match yours.

But forget the studies, those lots could be 
important to the merchants.  Why not provide a 
tram that picks  up visitors  at the  old visitor 
center parking lot, takes them to the new visitor 
center, and also goes to stop downtown to drop them off?

   Why should the outlet mall get these free 
customers  plopped on their lots while these same 
possible customers are virtually  excluded by the 
nature of the setup from going 
downtown  Gettysburg?  It seems some plan could 
be set up to use these lots to help the 
merchants  and provide easy access to the visitor center.

>Parking is being given a great deal of 
>consideration but the fact remains that the 
>battlefield is why the people, and their cars, 
>are there in the first place.  If you include 
>the new VC parking lots, there's a lot more 
>spaces now than there ever was.  That are 
>multiple access points to that part of the 
>battlefield with parking along the sides.

Again, the existing plans are based on the 
insistence that  we must get rid of those parking 
lots on the Taneytown Road rather than use them 
to enhance the experience and access.  The 
parking along the roads on  East Cemetery 
Hill  and the national cemetery is very dangerous.

>  I can't walk very far any more so parking's 
> important to me, but the rehabilitation of one 
> of the most critical sections of the Union 
> battle line is far more important. I want to 
> see the markers restored that were moved to 
> make room for the Cyclo parking lot.

I am all for rehabilitation, but  I'm not sure we 
will all gain that much from this by removing 
these  parking lots.  We already know they are 
going to leave some of the parking there, so 
there is no pristine ground.  Leaving those lots 
and  providing trams to the visitor center in 
downtown will be win-win for everyone.

There have to be decisions made, and I think we 
are erring on insisting on  removing these 
parking lots at the expense of visitors being 
denied easy access to this portion of the park and downtown.

Take Care

Dennis

 >>>>>>>>>>>
When you're in the 'Burg  And at the new VC
You can never  go downtown
When you've got money  you're at the outlet Mall
not, downtown
Just picture in your mind a tram to Steinweher
Linger on the sidewalk where the  SCV and SUV's  gather
How can you lose?
Downtown


 >>>>>>






>  Regards, Margaret ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Dennis Lawrence" <denlaw at gojade.org> To: 
> "GDG" <gettysburg at arthes.com> Sent: Sunday, 
> January 29, 2012 11:03:17 AM Subject: Re: GDG- 
> Gettysburg battlefield to install 'smart' 
> parking - WTOP Mobile Esteemed GDG Member 
> Contributes: >Unless someone is a formidable 
> enough hiker that parking in the >satellite 
> lots won't be a problem, even if you park on 
> the old VC & >Cyclo Center parking lots, your 
> question of how people will get >around won't 
> change. Yes, those two locations help if your 
> objective >is the High Water Mark but it does 
> squat for almost all of the first >day's 
> battlefield and much of the remaining two days 
> as well. Hello, Â Â  Â  Â It is also an 
> excellent spot to park to go to the  the 
> downtown businesses and for the national 
> cemetery and  East Cemetery Hill.  Those lots 
> will be missed, and I hope that you are right 
> that we will not see automobiles limited on the 
> field, but I think given that parking is given 
> such little consideration, that is where we're 
> heading. Take Care Dennis 
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